Means for dislodging surface materials



Nov. 17, 1942. T. J. BALL MEANS FOR DISLQDGING SURFACE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 17, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1942. J, BALL MEANS FOR DISLODGING summon MATERIALS Filed Dec. 17, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 17, 1942. 'r. J. BALL MEANS FOR DISLODGING SURFACE MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 17, 1938 is) mw five/70607.

Nov. 17, 1942. T. J. BALL MEANS FOR DISLODGING SURFACE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 17, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 2am Fm QJJQOLW Nov. 17, 1942. 1-, J BALL 2,302,516

MEANS FOR DISLODGING SURFACE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 17. 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (BLJQG J Patented Nov. 17, 1942 MEANS FOR DISLODGING SURFACE MATERIALS Thomas J. Ball, Boston, Mass.

Application December 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,415

24 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 54;!377, flied December 17, 1935, and discloses and claims subject matter disclosed but not claimed in said cpending application.

The present invention relates to a method of dislodging surface materials in general and to apparatus for practicing said method. For convenience of disclosure the material referred to will be considered as being snow. as the removal of snow from streets, roadbeds, etc., by snow plows is a very common and well know example of material dislodgement.

The r storation of streets or road beds for traflic use both during and after a snowstorm presents a difilcult problem. It has been customary first to use a scraper to dislodge the snow from the roadbed, the dislodged snow being piled after one or a plurality of cuts or plowings in a bank or windrow adjacent the sides or gutters of the roadbed, and thereafter to have this banked snow removed mechanically or by workmen who shovel it into trucks for disposal elsewhere. So far as plowing or dislodging per se is concerned, experience has shown that in the vast majority of situations the most satisfactory plow arrangement to use comprises a single blade scraper or mold board construction provided with a leading edge, a traiinr. edge. and a subsaniia'ly smo th surface therebetween so that as the construction is being driven progressively into the snow by a power vehicle such as a truck or tractor. dislodged snow flows along the surface to and over its trailing edge, invariably forming rearwardly of the trailing edge a ridge or windrow of plowed snow parallel to the plowing path. In other situations the preferred plowing surface comprises at least one outside face of a plow blade of forwardly converging V-construction, but as in the case of the type previously described, this V-plow also invariably forms rearwardly of at least one of its trailing edges a ridge or windrow of plowed snow parallel to the plowing path. Inasmuch as this ridge or windrow formation occurs each time a mold board or plow blade makes a cut or plowing. it will be apparent that on a street wide enough to requ re a plurality of cuts to clear it say from its center line to a side or gutter, for each succeeding out after the first there lies in the plowing path not only the snow that is there naturally, as if a previous cut or plowing had not taken place. but also the ridge or windrow placed there by the trailing edge on the preceding cut. As all th s snow flows toand over the trailing edge of the mold board or plow blade during this succeeding cut, the ridge or windrow then formed is higher or larger than was the first. and this increase in ridge or windrow dimensions is further increased for each succeeding cut or plowing that there may be.

But whatever the type of snow plow used. a roadbed or street, even in the country but to a much greater extent in urban communities, intersects other roadbeds, streets. cross walks, driveways. traiflc circles, etc., and because this is the case, it will be apparent that whether only one or whether a plurality of cuts are necessary to clear the street or roadbed being plowed, the bank or windrow of snow that results after-the completion of the plowingis) extends across said intersections as well as along the sides or gutters of the street or roadbed being plowed. If these intersections themselves have not been cleared before the plowing of what may be called the first street or roadbed, the amount of snow across these intersections is obviously increased by the addition of the quantity of snow forming the ba nk or windrow there, and if these intersections themselves have been cleared previously to the plowing of the first street or roadbed, the bank or windrow there formed functions to dam up and choke these clearings. When the first-named intersection situation exists, the additional amount of snow piled up necessitates greater plowing effort to effect clearing, and when the intersections have been previously cleared, the bank or windrow of snow which serves to dam up and choke them necessitates that they be cleared again. This re-clearing, whether done manually, by replowing. or by machine removal, in the aggregate involves an enormous amount of hand shovelling or machine loading which is not only slow but also very expensive relative to the cost of plowing per se, and the slowness and expense involved in IP.-C1.&lll'12 are not confined to re-clearlng alone but have ramifications in that trafllc is slowed up, with attendant general annoyance and business and personal costs or losses incident thereto.

In view of the foregoing, theprincipal objects of the present invention are to devise a method and to produce apparatus whereby there may be obviated the formation of a bank or windrovwof snow across streets, roadbeds, driveways, cross wa ks, trafllc circles, etc., which intersect the street or roadbed being plowed.

To the accomplishment of these objects and of such others as may hereinafter appear, the various features of the present invention reside in certa n methods. constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully de- Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the snow plow of Fig.

' l. and a portion of its moving mechanism;

elevation of the mold v Fig. 3 is a view in rear board;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation 01' the mold board;

Fig. 5 is a detail draulic ram and which it acts;

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partially in section, taken along the line 8--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail view, partially in section, also taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 3 but showing the auxiliary plow and the auxiliary blades in inoperative position;

Fig. 8 is a detail view. partially in section, taken along the llne B-fl of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of one of the auxiliary blades having a rearward ear;

Fig. 10 is a detail view in elevation. similar to Fig. 5, butrshowing a modified hydraulic ram and lever construction; and

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of one of the plates connected to the auxiliary plow.

The various features of the present invention may be embodied in snow plows of present known construction. and for this reason it is deemed advisable to preface the disclosure of the present invention with a brief description of one well known and old type of snow plow, such plow being described purely as exemplary and not by way of any limitation as to the scope of the present invention. With reference to the accompanying drawings, the plowing or dislodging surface comprises the front face of a blade or mold board Iii (Figs. 1-4 and 6-8) provided at its bottom with the usual depending scraper plate (I. The mold board l presents the usual concave front face so that as it is progressively driven into the snow diagonally disposed to the line of progress, portions of the snow may rise upward into engagement with the surface and be thrown ahead arcuately in a direction more or less normal to the length of the mold board. as is well known, while other portions of the snow flow up and along the surface to and over its trailing edge. To brace the mold board (0 against the strains to which it is subjected in use. its convex or rear face is provided with a number of angle iron braces. such as the transverse brace l2 (Figs. 1-4 and 6-8) adjacent the top of the mold board, the vertical end braces l3 (Figs. 1-3), the transverse brace ll (Figs. 1-3 and 6-8) adjacent the bottom of the mold board, and the vertical braces l (Figs. 2-3 and 6-8), herein shown as six in number, spaced apart along the mold board with their opposite ends adjacent the transverse braces i2 and I4, respectively. As best shown in Fig. 3, the two innermost braces (5 are located at opposite sides of the vertical center line of the mold board.

The mechanism for mounting the mold board ill on a power vehicle such as a motor truck l5 (Fig.

view in elevation of the hythe adjacent elements upon iii 1) includes a semi-circle l'l and a push frame ll (Figs. 1 and 2), the latter being provided with rearwardly diverging legs It the rear ends of which are each (Fig. i) pivotaily connected by apparatus 20-2! to the front axle 22 of the truck. The arms of the semi-circle I! are disposed forwardly and are provided with plates 23 the yoked forward ends of which (Fig. 2) are pivotally connected by means of aligned pivot bolts 24 to brackets 25 (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted on the rear face of the mold board above the transverse brace N. The arm end portions of the semi-circle II are linked by an angle iron brace 28 (Fig. 2) and the semi-circle is also provided with converging braces 21 which join the brace 28 at opposite sides of its center. A block 28, pivotaily mounted on the mold board i0, as best shown in Fig. 2, by means of a bolt 29 axial with the pivot bolt 26 and iournaled in the outstanding arms of the central vertical braces l5, extends rearwardiy from the mold board and is received by a yoke 30 (Fig. 1) carried by the forward end of the push frame Iii. The block 28 is swiveled in the yoke 30 by means of a vertical pin 3i (Fig. 1) passing downwardlythrough the brace 26, and with this construction the" mold board ill, in addition to being tiltable about the axis formed by the pivot bolts 21 and 29, can also be turned with the semicircle i1 about the axis which the pin 3i forms. The plates 23 with which the arm ends of the semi-circle H are provided support caster constructions 32 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the upper end of the housing of each caster is provided with a pair of ears 33 which receive a pin 34. Means is provided for elevating and lowering the mold board ID as is indicated by the worm and gear controlled chain 35 (Fig. 1) on the end of which the usual equalizing block 36 depends for receiving slidingly a second chain 31 the opposite ends of which diverge downwardly and carry spring constructions 38 (only one shown) associated with the respective caster housing ears 33. Each spring construction 38 is provided with a loop 39 passing around the associated caster pin 34, and a spring 10 and adjustable plunger construction Ii is provided to take up the shock of impact of the mold board it! with the snow or obstructions. In addition to the above construction the semicircle is provided with a number of apertures 42 (Figs. 1 and 2) each of which is adapted to register with an opening formed in a plate 43 secured to the push frame l8. and a pin 44 passing through the registering apertures locks the semi-circle in place with respect to the push frame. With this construction, and referring to Fig. 2, the mold board in may be maintained extended in a direction normal to the ,line of progress, 1. e., transversely of the truck i6 and its path of movement, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, or by temporarily removing the pin II, the semi-circle and the mold board may be swung about the pin II as a pivot to dispose the mold board diagonally to the right or left, after which operation the pin 4| is replaced to lock the semi-circle and the mold board in position. One such diagonal position, for right hand plowing, is shown in-construction lines in Fig. 2, and when the mold board is in this position, the left hand edge of the mold board is the leading edge and the right hand edge is the trailing edge. The plowing angle for the mold board Ill indicated by construction lines in Fig. 2 happens to be 35 degrees from the transverse, but as will be brought out more fully hereinafter. it should be understood that this particular angle has been selected merely for'illustrative purposes and not by way of any limitation, for in actual use mold boards of the type shown herein may be adjusted to any one of a variety of plowing angles.

The above description has been given to show the general construction and operation of one well known form of snow plow so that the relationship thereto of the parts serving to improve it, and their mode of operation, may be more readily understood. In order to prevent the above-stated undesirable results which follow from uninterrupted bank or windrow formation, I propose to modify the mold board to some extent and to incorporate therewith apparatus the structure and operation of which are explained is in the following paragraphs.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, and considering the left hand edge of the mold board I9, viewing Fig. 3, or the right hand edge, viewing Fig. 4, as being the leading edge, the present invention contemplates that the mold board he provided with a plurality of vertical slots 45 (Figs. 4, 6, and 7) herein shown only for illustrative purposes as being three in number and located in spaced relationship from a point in advance of the trailing edge of the mold board to a point short of its vertical center line. Each slot 45 preferably extends from a point beneath the top of the mold board downward to a point adjacent the top of the scraper plate II, and each of the slots is located in front of an angle iron brace l3 or ii, as the case may be. These braces are slotted as indicated at 45 in Figs. 3, 6, and 7 to form rearward continuations of the slots 45, and the function of these slots 45-46 is to provide ways for the swinging therethrough in a vertical plane of auxiliary blades 41, 48, and 49, as will be described.

Referring to Figs. 3. 6, and '7. the rear face of the right side of the mold board It! is provided 40 adjacent the tops of the braces i3 and I! with angle irons 50, one for each brace. The outstanding arms of these angle irons 50 are provided with apertures, respectively, which are aligned with like apertures in the respective braces i3 and I5 so that each pair receives a short rod 5i which extends across the associated slots -45 and is held in place by suitable pins 52, for example. Referring particularly to Figs. 3. 6. and 7, each of the rods 5| receives the upper end of one of the auxiliary blades 41-49 so that the blade depends swingably from the rod and is located for movement through the associated slot 45-46. The front edge of each of the blades 41-49 preferably has the concavity of the front face of the mold board l9 (Figs. 1 and '7) and has a bottom edge which curves rearwardly and upwardly. As indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as well as in Figs. 6 and '1, the blades 41 and '49. being the right hand and central blades, respectively, are connected together by an angle iron 53 which is secured to the rear lower corner portions of these blades, while the rear edges of the blades 48 and 49, which are of identical construction, are each provided intermediate their ends with rearwardly extending ears 54 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, '1, and 9) which are apertured to receive a tie rod 55. With this construction each of the blades 61-49 is swingable on its associated rod 5|, and the three blades are swingable together from a retracted position with respect to the mold board (Fig. '7) in which the front edges of the blades do not project beyond the front face of the mold board to and from a forward position (Fig. 6) in which a considerable portion of each blade extends forwardly of the front face of the mold board. As a consequence,

the front face of the mold board may be substantially smooth (Figs. 1 and 7) or the smoothness may be interrupted by reason of the blades projecting forwardly therefrom (Fig. 6).

Besides forming pivots for the swinging in unison of the blades 41-49, which may be called a first set of blades auxiliary to the material dislcdging blade or mold board in, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the rods 5i also form pivots for a second set of auxiliary blades 55, 51. and 55 of identical construction. As

shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 these blades are illustrated as being three in number, and as will be explained are associated with the respective auxiliary blades 41-49. More particularly, each of the blades 55, 51, and 58 (Figs. 6 and '7) comprises a more'or less rectangular plate or body portion 59 from the top of which a conveniently coplanar arm 99 extends outwardly and is provided with a return bend so as to form an arm,

extension Bl. Each arm extension is provided with an opening which receives the associated rod 5| as a pivot about which the blade as a whole is swingable. The three blades 56-55, like the three blades 41-49, are preferably connected together for movement in unison, and to this end the arms are provided with a pair of apertures and the body portions 59 are provided w th upper and lower pairs of apertures for the reception of tie rods 62 which serve to connect the blades 56-58 for movement together. With this construction the blades 56-58 are swingable in unison with respect to the mold board I0 about the rods 5i from a position (Figs. 2, 3, 4,

' and 6) n which the body portions 59 are located in front of the mold board, to and from a retracted position (Figs. 1 and 7) in which the blades 56-58 are located generally above the mold board. Spacer blocks 93 mounted on the rods 5| between the outstanding arms of the angle irons 50 on the one hand and the outstanding arms of the angle irons I! or l5, as the case may be, on the other hand. serve to prevent any movement of the blades -58 longitudinally of the rods 5! and laterally of the blades 41-49, and as these blades are heavy, as are the blades 41-49. the lower edge of each arm is provided with an angular extension 54 (Figs. 1, 6, and 'l) the front edge of which rests upon the transverse an l iron brace I! when the blades 55-58 are in their lowered or forward (Fig. 6) position.

Also mounted for swing ng movement with respect to the mold'board it the present invention contemplates that there be an auxiliary plow 65 (F gs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7) of the forwardly converging V-blade type, having a shorter or ri ht hand blade 59 (viewing Fig. 2) and a longer or left hand blade 51. In the illustrated emb d ment of the present invention the nose or vertical junction edge of the blades 65 and 91 is (Figs. 2 and 4) disposed to the right of the vertical center line of the mold board III, while the rear end of the blade 91 is to the left of that center lne. As ind cated in Figs. 4 and 6, the tops of the blades 65 and 61 when in their forward or Fig. 6 position may be slightly above the level of the top of the mold board Ill, although this is not essential, and are preferably connected by a brace 68, while the blade 61 is provided with a forwardly and upwardly directed deflector extension 59. The bottoms of the blades 96 and 61 are preferably at a level somewhat above that of the lower edges of the auxiliary blades 41-48 and 58-58.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4, 6, and 'l, the rear end of the plow blade 88 is provided with a rearward extension in engaging flatwise the adjacent face oi the auxiliary blade 58 (viewing Fig. 2), and the extension I8 and the blade 58 are preferably welded together and are apertured to receive the ends of the uppermost pair of tie rods 62. In a similar manner the rear end of the plow blade 61 is also provided with a rearward extension 1! the opposite sides of which are engaged fiatwise by the adjacent faces of two plates 12 to which the extension H is preferably welded and also bolted as indicated at 13 in Fig, 2. The plates 12 are located adjacent the outstanding arm of the left one of the central vertical braces 15, and as indicated by comparison of Fig. 11 with Figs. 6, '7, and 8 have body portions 59a smaller than the body portions 59 of the auxiliary blades 55-58, but have outstanding arms 580, return bend arm extensions iila, and angular extensions 84a of the same size and shape as the corresponding portions of the blades 58-58.

It is contemplated in the present invention that the plates 12 be mounted for swinging movement. preferably with the swinging of the blades 58-58, and to this end the mold board In is provided with an angle iron ll adjacent the upper end of that vertical brace 15 with which the plates 12 are associated, the outstanding arm of the angle arm 18 and the outstanding arm of said brace I being provided with aligned apertures which receive a pivot rod for the plates 12. The rod 15 is aligned with the rods 5|, and in view of this construction, plus the joining of the plow blade extension III to the associated blade 59, it will be seen that when the blades 58-58 are swung about the rods 5| the V-plow 65 necessarily swings with them and assumes an upper or inoperative position when the blades 55-58 are elevated (Fig. '7) and an operative position forward or the mold board In (Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6) when the blades 55-58 are positioned in like manner.

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the auxiliary blades 41-49 and 58-58 and the V-plow 85 are preferably all connected together for swinging in unison, and to achieve this mode of swinging, there is provided a lever and link system and means which is actuable to move the system so that the auxiliary blades and the V-plow assume their Fig. 7 or retracted and upward position and which is deactuable so that the blades and the V-plow assume their Fig. 6 or forward position. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, the angle iron 58 which connects the bottoms of the blades 41 and I8 is provided with a pair of spaced brackets 16 which are located one to each side of the auxiliary blade 48 (Figs. 2 and 3) and receive the opposite ends of a tie rod 11. The end portions of the tie rod 11 are in turn received pivotally by the more or less central portions of a pair of levers I8 located adjacent the respective spaced brackets 16, and as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and '7 the lower or rearmost ends of these levers 18 receive the opposite ends of a tie rod 19, while the upper or foremost ends of the levers 18 are each provided with a short rod 88 on which a roller 8| is journaled for rolling engagement with the mold board, as will be explained. With particular reference to Figs. 3 and 5. the rod 89 carried by the left hand lever 18 is received adjacent the roller 8| by the lower end of a link 82, and the upper end of the link 82 receives a tie rod 83 (Figs. 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8) the opposite ends of which are received by the arm extensions SI of the auxiliary blades 51 and 58 in such location that when the blades 56-58 are in their forward or Fig. 6 position, the rod 83 is rearwardly and upwardly disposed with respect to the pivot rods 5!. With the above construction, force applied to the link 82 in a downward direction serves the double purpose of causing the blades 56-58 and the V-plow 85 to swing upwardly about the rods 5| and 15 as pivots while causing the blades "-49 to swing rearwardly about the rods 5| as pivots, and a release of the thus applied force results in a reverse swinging of the auxiliary blades and the V-plow. The precise manner in which these results occur will not be described at this point, however, as it is deemed advisable to preface such remarks with a description of one suitable means for applying to the link 82 the downward force above referred to.

To this end the mold board l8 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5) is provided adjacent the left or inner face of the link 82 with a bracket 88 to which is pivoted at 85 a lever 86 the opposite arms of which extend beyond the sides of the bracket. Viewing Fig. 5 in particular, the right hand arm of the lever 88 extends farther from its pivot 85 than does the left hand arm, and is adapted to bear upon a shelf formed by the outstanding arm of a bracket 81 secured to the link 82, while the left hand arm of the lever 85 is provided on its bottom with a rounded portion 88 adapted to rest on the head of the piston 89 of a preferably hydraulic ram structure 98, it being understood that in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention a pneumatically operated ram structure may be subsituted if desired. As the hydraulic ram structure 99 per se forms no part of the present invention and is readily purchasable in the open market, it will not be described here in detail. It is sufficient to say that it comprises the usual fluid box in which the piston 88 is movable, and is provided with a coupling member 9| for connection by means of a suitable tubing 82 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 8) to a valve 88 (Fig. 1) with which is associated a pump 95 having an operating handle 95. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the pump 84 and the valve 88 are shown located in the truck cab 95, that is, at a point behind the mold board Ill. The ram structure 98 may be mounted on the mold board In in any suitable manner.

and as illustrated best in Figs. 5 and 8 the ram box rests on the rearwardly extending arm of a bracket 91 mounted on the mold board above the transverse brace I4. Side plates 98 also extending rearwardly from the mold board confine the ram tructure 99 laterally, and any tendency for upward or outward movement of the ram is prevented by a bar 99 pivotally mounted on a block I09 secured to the right hand plate 98.50 as to be swingable across the space between the plates 98 for rest upon the coupling member 9| of the ram, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In order to prevent the bar 99 from swinging upward as the result of vibration of the mold board ill, a spring IOI is provided. its lower end being suitably secured to the mold board and its opposite end being provided with a hook I92 which is normally inserted in an aperture I83 formed in the free end of the bar 99. The lever 88 is spaced from the mold board and is movable in a plane on its pivot 85, and as the rear face of the mold board is curved, a spacer block I84 (Fig. 8) is interpose between the box portion of the ram 98 and the mold board, being preferably secured to the latter, so that when the bar 88 is engaging the coupling 8! the ram is maintained spaced from the mold board so as to underlie the rounded portion 88 of the left arm of the lever 85.

It has been stated above that when force is applied to the link 82 in a downward direction, there result the upward swinging of the auxiliary blades 5858 and the V-plow 85 and also the rearward swinging of the auxiliary blades 41- 49. Inasmuch as these swinging results are, in the lliustrated embodiment of the present invention, eifectuated ultimately by the actuation of the ram structure 88 which, with associated parts, has now been described, there will be taken up at this point the 'manner in which ram actuation produces these results. Let it be assumed that the auxiliary blades and the V-plow are in the forward or operative (Fig. 6) position, and that the driver of the truck I8 wishes to move them into inoperative position (Fig. '1). As will appear later, it is to be understood that when the auxiliary blades and the V-plow are located as just stated, the piston 88 is retracted i. e., is in the lowered position best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and engages the rounded bottom 88 of the left hand arm of the lever 88, while the end of the right hand arm of the lever 88 extends upwardly and bears upon. the shelf formed by the outstanding arm of the link bracket 81. With the lever 88 in this position, it will be apparent that elevation of the piston 88 will cause the lever 88 to swing on its pivot 85 so that the right hand arm of the lever presses downwardly on the shelf of the bracket 81.

In order to actuate the ram structure 88 to raise its piston 88, the driverof the truck l8 reciprocates the pump handle 85, as is well understood, thereby increasing the quantity of fluid, generally. oil, in the ram structure and so forcing the piston 88 progressively upward. As this piston elevation causes a swinging of the lever 88, and'as the right hand end of this swinging lever presses downwardly on the shelf of the bracket 81, an immediate result of this downward pressure is to drive the link 82 downwardly, but since the upper end of the link receives the tie rod 88, and since this tie rod is (Fig. 6) rearwardly and upwardly disposed with respect to the pivot rods 5|, the descending link 82 exerts a downward pull on the rod 88, causing it to bodily pursue a downward and forward arcuate course about the axis of the pivot rods 8!, with the result that the auxiliary blades 81 and 88, being connected together by the tie rod 88, are caused to swing upwardly and rear wardly about the same axis. While the tie rod 88 connects only the blades 51 and 58 (viewing Fig. 3) it will be appreciated that the right hand blade 88 swings with the other two by reason of the connections among the three blades afforded by the rods 82. and it will also be appreciated that the V-plow 88 itself swings with the 6 be apparent from the foregoing that the auxiliary blades 5858 and the V-plow 88 may be swung in unison to a variety of'upward positions. It is preferred, however, that the pump handle 85 be reclprocated until the auxiliary blades and the V-plow are sufficiently elevated so that the rear edges of the arm extensions 8| and their counterparts on the plates I2 meet resistance. While this resistance may be the mold board engaging arms of the associated vertical braces I3 and I5, or may comprise blocks mounted on said brace arms or on the mold board, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention this resistance is provided by the mold board l8 itself, and to achieve this end the brace l3 associated with the blade 58 is provided with a slot I85 (Fig. 3) while the braces I5 associated with the I blades 51 and 58 and with the plates I2 are provided with functionally corresponding cut away portions I88, respectively, that cut away portion associated with the blade 81 being shown in Figs. 6 and 7. An engagement of the natures described above is desirable, since the normal position of the blades 8858 and the V-plow 85 is their elevated or inoperative one, for the engagement of the arm extensions of the blades 58-58 and the plates I2 with the mold board or other resistance limits the rearward swing of the blades and the V-plow while the maintenance of the piston 89 in elevated position simultaneously prevents their forward swinging. As a consequence, the elevated blades and vplow are looked, as it were, in position on the mold board I8 so that they and the mold board are substantially stationary relatively to each other. Any vibration or forward tipping of the mold board on the pivot bolts 28 and 28 as when obstructions engage the scraper plate II does not, therefore, tend to cause the mold board to receive a blow from said arm extensions under the influence of inertia, with consequent additional strain.

The above remarks describe the manner by which the auxiliary blades 58-88 and the V- plow become elevated from their Fig. 6 position to their Fig. 7 position. But since, in the lilustrated embodiment of the present invention. the link 82 has a connection with the levers I8 as well as with the tie rod 88, the downwardly pushed link 82 acts on the levers I8 simultaneously with its action on the tie rod 83. Describing this in more detail, since the swinging lever 88 presses the link 8; downwardly, and since the lower end of the link 82 receives the left band (Fig. 3) rod 88, a .secohd immediate result of the descent of the link 82 with respect to its lower end is the forced downward movement of this rod 88, said movement of the rod 88 being facilitated by the associated roller 8! which, as will be brought out hereinafter, moves in rolling contact with the mold board I8. But since the upper end of the left hand (Fig. 3) lever I8 also receives the left hand rod 88, and since the more or less central portion of theleft hand lever I8 receives the tie rod 11 which connects the levers I8, the forced descent of the aforesaid rod 88 with its roller 8| in rolling contact with the mold board causes the upper end of the left hand lever 18 to descend and also causes the more or less central portion of this same lever to lift the rod II rearwardly and upwardly, as indicated in Fig. 7 by comparison with Fig. 6, for the descending rod 88 provides for the lever a floating axis making this lifting of the rod 11 possible. It will be pump handle 85, as is well understood, it will 7-5 understood, of course, that by reason of the levers Ill being. connected by the tie rod 11 for movement together, the right hand lever 18 moves with the left-rhand one in the operation just described, this movement of the right hand lever 18 being facilitated by its associated roller ill, and the levers 18 and tie rod 11 arrangement being made rigid and operative as a unit by reason of the lower or rearward ends of the levers 18 being connected together by the tie rod 19. As a consequence, the downward pushing of the link 82 on the left hand roller rod Bil results in both levers swinging outwardly together to elevate the tie rod 11 rearwardly and upwardly, and the result of this movement of the rod 11 is the rearward swinging of the blades 41-49 about the axis afforded by the pivot rods It will be understood that the precise position on the levers I! where the tie rod 11 is received is a predetermined one, i. e., is so located that when the auxiliary blades 56-58 and the v-plow are in their elevated or inoperative position (Fig. '1) and the levers II have been swung outwardly about the floating axis provided by the rods 80, the auxiliary blades 41-49 have been swung rearwardly by the tie rod 11 a sufficient distance so that their front edges are no longer forward of the front face of the mold board "I.

In view of the above paragraphs it is believed that no further description need be given of how the elevation of the piston 89 efiects the simultaneous elevation of the auxiliary blades 56-58 and the V-plow B5 and retraction of the auxiliary blades 61-". There are, however, two further points that should be brought out in this connection. One is that since the ram structure Bll acts against gravity in elevating the heavy blades -58 and V-plow 65 and in retracting the heavy blades 41-, and since the center of gravity of the blades 5658 and the V-plow when they are in their fully elevated position is preferably slightly forward of the axis provided by the pivot rods 5! and 15, upon a release of the piston 89, l. e., upon the opening of the valve 83 to permit oil to flow from the ram structure 90, the blades "-50 and the V-plow immediately fall forward or drop by gravity to their operative (Fig. 6) position in front of the mold board. This gravitational action is, of course, carried to the blades "-49, for the descent of the blades 55-" causes the tie rod 81 carried thereby to pull upward on the link B2 which in turn moves the levers 18 to their upper or Fig. 6 position with attendant movement of the blades "-49 forward. The other point is that since the portion of the mold board to where the ram structure 90 and the lever 86 are located is forwardly curved, these elements are not vertically disposed but are forwardly tipped, as best shown in Fig, 8. As a consequence, and although it has been said that the rollers 8i move in rolling contact with the mold board, it will be seen that in a given embodiment of the present invention there may be a tendency on the link bracket 81 in a. direction which is somewhat away from the mold board as well as downward, thereby causing the pivot'joint 80 of what is, in effect, a toggle formed by the link I! and the associated lever II to tend to move away from the mold board instead of along it. Such operation is obviously undesirable, and in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is prevented by guard plates I01 (Figs. 3, 5, and 8) which have sufficient length to overlie the rollers 8i, respectively,'whether in their upper for the lever 86 to push (Fig. 6) or lower (Fig. '7) position, and are each maintained spaced from the mold board by a support plate I08 secured to the mold board and outstanding therefrom. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 8, the top of the left hand support plate ")8 is lower than that of its associated guard plate I01 so as not to interfere with the downward movement of the right hand arm of the lever 86, and by reason of the above construction it will be seen that whatever the directional tendency of the swinging lever 86 may bewith respect to the link bracket 81, the guard plate I01 constrain the rollers to movement in substantial engagement with the mold board at all times.

It is believed that from the foregoingdescription of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the construction and mode of operation of the various parts thereof will be fully understood, except under certain extreme plowing conditions which it is deemed desirable to consider later. Accordingly, there will now be described an operation of the disclosed structure in use plowing snow from roadbeds and streets having intersections.

Let it be supposed that a snow plow embodying the present invention is moving progressively along the right hand side of a roadbed or street portion where there is no intersection. As the apparatus is on the right hand side, the mold board It) will be located diagonally of its line of progress, say at 35 degrees from the transverse, with the left hand edge (Fig. 2) of the mold board leading and the right hand edge trailing, and as there is no intersection the driver of the truck IE will have actuated the pump 94 so that the ram 39 has effected retraction of the auxiliary blades ib-49 (Fig. '7) and elevation of the auxiliary blades -53 and the V-plow 65. The mold board may be making a first cut, in which case its entire front surface engages snow, or the mold board may be making a second or succeeding cut, in which case about a quarter length of the mold board from its leading edge does not engage snow at the start of operations, as is well understood practice. But in either event, the apparatus being in motion as stated above, i. e., being engaged in right hand plowing, some of the snow which the mold board engages and dislodges may rise to the top of the concave front face thereof and be thrown ahead, as is well known, while the bulk of the dislodged snow will befiowing up and along the mold board to and over its trailing edge, as is also well known, thereby causing the formation in the usual way of a ridge or windrow of snow rearwardly of the apparatus and parallel to its line of progress. The ridge or windrow will be gapless and uninterrupted because its formation will be continuous under the conditions stated above.

Let ,it be now supposed that the progressively moving apparatus approaches an intersection such as a crosswalk, street, roadbed, driveway, traffic circle, or the like, which may or may not have been cleared previously of snow. If the driver of the truck l8 does nothing except con tinue to drive his truck forward, it is obvious that the mold board 10 will continue to act like the usual mold board. If however, the driver of the truck l6 releases the valve 93 while continuing to drive the truck forward, a radically different situation is created. The immediate results of releasing the valve 93 are, of course, the outflow of oil from the ram structure accompanied by the downward swinging by gravity of the auxiliary blades 56-438 and the V-plow 65 to their forward or operative lFig. 6) position and the attendant swinging of the auxiliary blades 49 so that they project forwardly of the front face of the mold board. But as soon as the above immediate results occur, the portion of the snow which engages the moving mold board and also the portion of the snow which at any given moment lies adjacently ahead of the moving mold board, i. e., which lies at least so far ahead as is measured by the spacing from the mold board of the dividing nose or front edge of the V-plow i5, become subjected to the influences of physical factors which were previously absent.

Describing this in more detail, it will be seen that for one thing there is no longer just one dislodging surface (l) having a leading edge and a trailing edge. There is also an additional dislodging surface, comprising the outer face of the plow blade 61, and examination of Fig. 2 in z paiticular will show that the nose or front edge of the V-plow 65 forms the leading edge of the blade 51 and that the end thereof adjacent the mold board l0 forms the trailing edge. Considering the blade 61 further in this connection, it

will be seen that in direct contrast to the mold board ill, the trailing edge of the blade 61 is its left edge and the leading edge is its right edge, so that the blade 61 performs leftqhand plowing, and that said left or trailing edge is so located with respect to the mold board in in the illustzated embodiment of the present invention as to be disposed more or less intermediate the leading and trailing edges of the mold board ill.

As a consequence, dislodged snow flowing upward and to the right (Fig. 2) along the mold board III from its leading edge, or from a point spaced therefrom if a second or succeeding cut is being made, not only is stopped by engagement with the plow blade extension II but also is engaged and stopped by dislodged snow flowing from the leading edge of the plow blade 61 leftward toward the mold board it) and in the general diiection of its leading edge. These two oppositely flowing and converging bodes of snow meet, in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, at a point along the left hand or leading" portion of the mold board Ill. Stating the above in another way, it will be seen that whereas before the intersection was approached, i. e., before the valve 83 was released, only right hand plowing was taking place because that was the only type of plowing possible, after the release of the valve 93, i. e., after the approach of the intersection and during at least a portion of its traverse, left hand as well as right hand plowing take place simultaneously, and the two paths of the snow thus plowed intersect each other. The result of this new plowing arrangement is thus the formation of a large pocket of obtuse angularity of such nature that the snow portions flowing along the walls thereof collide with each other, and this results, during the continued progress of the apparatus across the intersection, in the building up between the blade 61 and the left hand or leading" portion of the mold board ill of a body of snow which is pushed ahead by the progressing apparatus. It will be understood that snow rising to the top of the blade 61 is thrown'forward and leftward therefrom by the blade extension 59 and into the path of the progressing pocket. If the extent of the intersection is not too great, i. e., if the need for carrying snow in the obtuse pocket formed by y the blade 61 and the left hand or "leading" porlion of the mold board 10 is not of too long duration, this pocket may well be of ample size t hold all the snow collected by it during the traverse of the entire intersection, with the result that none of this snow spills out and, more particularly, none of this snow flows along the "trailing" portion of the mold board It! to and over its trailing edge.

But the above-described result is not the only one that occurs when the valve 93 is released. Since snow was flowing along the entire mold board it) to and over its trailing edge before release of the valve, and since the blade 61 forms a plow of rearwardly converging V-formation with only the left hand or leading' portion of the mold board and not with its right hand or "trailing" portion, there still is snow engaged with and also lying in the plowing path of this "trailing" portion. If, therefore, the blades 4T4S and 5558 were absent, the snow engaged by this "trailing" portion of the mold board would fiow to and over its trailing edge as before and would still form to the right of the mold board (Fig. 2') an undesirable ridge or windrow. But this result does not take place, for the blades 4'I49 move directly into engagement with snow flowing along the trailing" portion of the mold board, 1. e., directly into the path of flow of the snow, and the. blades form in co-operation with the mold board a plurality of snow-retaining and flow-interrupting pockets to the right of the V-plow 65, as best indicated by comparing Figs. 2, 4, and 6. Moreover, the blades 5558 form operative extensions of the blades 4149 and so deepen the pockets, thereby resulting in the prevention of flow to and over the trailing edge of the mold board iii of the body of snow engaged thereby to the right of the V-plow 65. As a consequence the mold board t0, the auxiliary blades, and the plow blade 51 cooperate to retain the snow and not discharge it over the trailing edge of the mold board when the truck crosses the intersection, so that to the extent of the intersection, or at the operator's will, a gap is made in the continuous bank or windrow of snow previously formed when normal plowing was taking place, and it is to be particularly noted that this result takes place without any disturbance of the condition of any snow that has already flowed to and over the trailing edge of the mold board and out of its influence.

As soon as the intersection is crossed, or as soon as the driver no longer wishes to prevent the flow of snow to and over the mold board trailing edge, the driver, while the mold board ill remains in engagement with the snOW, actuates the pump 94 as stated above to elevate the piston 89 and so retract the auxiliary blades and the V-plow to their inoperative position. This cause a release of the variously retained snow as there are no longer any retaining pockets, so that during the further continued progress of the apparatus this snow flows to and over the trailing edge of the mold board and the latter resumes its customary action in forming a ridge or windrow. But while the driver may actuate the pump 94 in such manner as to cause the release of all the retained snow relatively soon after the intersection is passed, this mode of release is preferably to be avoided under normal plowing circumstances because it causes the released snow to be concentrated for a relatively short distance along the roadbed being plowed and therefore either causes the bank or windrow to be unduly large for that distance at the side or gutter of the roadbed or else, if the particular plowing operation or cut is any one of a plurality of necessary cuts except the last, causes an undue amount of snow to be localized in the plowing path of the succeeding cut. It is therefore preferred that the driver actuate the pump slowly during the continued progress of the apparatus beyond the intersection, for this causes a slow release of the retained snow so that it is distributed along a relatively great extent lengthwise of the roadbed and is thus spread out and not localized or concentrated.

It has been pointed out above that under certain plowing conditions the obtuse pocket formed by the plow blade 61 and the left or leading" portion of the mold board in may be sufficiently large so that none of the snow collected thereby spills out during the traverse of the entire intersection. But different plowing conditions may well exist, such that before the entire intersection is traversed the pocket is full. As under these circumstances there still remains snow in the path of a full pocket that is progressing. it is obvious that this remaining snow will not be dislodged in the manner of snow flowing along the mold board l and the plow blade 81, but will be dislodged by the body of compacted snow in the full pocket. Some 01 this remaining snow may be pushed in a general forward direction, in which operation there is no harm unless the distance yet to be traversed before passing the intersection is so great that the snow to be pushed ahead by the full pocket overtaxes the power bethe present invention contemplates that the V-plow 85 have such a forward extent with respect to the mold board that when the latter is di p sed at a convenient or eilicient plowing angle the dividing nose or front edge of the \l-plow 65 is farther forward along the plowing path than is the leading edge of the mold board In. One such plowing angle is 35 degrees from the transverse, as indicated in construction lines in Fig. 2, and the particular V-plow there shown has such forward extent, as also indicated in construction lines, as to lead the leading edge 01' the mold board 10 not only for a 35 degree angular disposition thereof but also for any degree of angular disposition less than 35 degrees.

By reason of the above-described arrangement it will therefore be seen that the particular plowing angle for the mold board In and the particular forward extent therefrom of the V-plow selected for purposes of illustration provide that the apparatus is adapted to prevent the flow of snow to and over the trailing edge of the moldboard bind the apparatus and so stops operations altogether. Another portion of this remaining snow may spill over the leading edge of the mold board II, and in this also there is no harm. for the amount of snow thus spilled is relatively small as compared to the amount that flows over the trailing edge of the mold board to formthe undesirable ridge or windrow characteristic of normal plowing. But still another portion of the remaining snow may spill to the right over the leading edge of the plow blade. 61, and if the plowing angle of the mold board i0 is such that its leading edge is farther forward along the plowing v path than is the leading edge of the plow blade 61, it is obvious that a considerable body of snow may thus spill over, since the leading edge of the blade I! forms the trailing edge of what. in effeet, is a snow dislodger partially made of snow and having as its leading edge the leading edge of the mold board ll. Of course the snow thus spilled is moved by the blades 58-}! in the direc tion of the respective blades 41-, and if the plowing conditions are not too severe, or if the need for further carrying is not too great, the

blades 41-1! and Sl-it-will retain the thus spilled snow durlng'the remainder of the traverse of the intersection; and thus interrupt and prevent the flow of this snow to and over the trailing edge of the mold board.

But the plowing conditions may be so severe or the'ne'ed for further carrying may be so great as to render impossible the snow retention lust mentinned, and as this would result in the undesirable flow or spilling of, snow to the right (Fig, 2) of the mold board Ill during traverse of the intersection, it is contemplated that the above-described apparatus preferably be so arranged that for severe plowing conditionssuch as just stated the snow lying in the plowing path of the full pocket formed between the plowblade 61 and the "leading" portion of the mold board 10 shall be positively dislodged to the left, i. e., over the leading edge of the mold board In. To this end under a variety of plowing conditions. So long as the pocket formed by the plow blade Bl and the "leading" portion of the mold board has not become full before the entire intersection is traversed, the pocket retains all the snow it collects, or what spilling there may be is over the leading edge of the mold board. But if the pocket does become full before the entire intersection is traversed, there comes into being what in effect is a left hand plow the "dislodging surface of which is snow and the trailing edge of which is the leading edge of the mold board Ill. From this arrangement there follow the two results that snow engaged by the filled pocket is positively dis- .lodged to the left over the leading edge of the be subjected to positive right hand plowing during the continued progress of the mold board becomes subjected to positive left hand plowing. That this positive and leftward dlslodging of snow will result in snow being deposited in or adjacent to the previously plowed portion of the street or roadbed being plowed is recognized; but it is to be realized that this spilling or depositing will occur along only a portion of the intersection, if it occurs at all, that it will be small in amount as compared to the size of the bank or windrow formed rearwardly of the right hand edge of the mold board during normal plowing, and that this spilling is provided by way of emergency release to keep dislodged snow away from the right hand edge of the mold board, i. e., away from the intersection itself, and thus prevent the undesirable conditions set forth in the first part of this speciflcation. 7

It is believed that the operation of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention for preventing the flow of snow to and over the right hand iFig. 2) edge of the mold board no will now be fully understood for even extreme conditions, but there are certain points about how prevention which may be amplified as regards the invention itself. One point is that if the time period during which the auxiliary blades 41-49 are in their forward or flow-interrupting position is not too long, these blades will be sufficient to retain the snow along the mold board to the right of the V- plow B and-so interrupt and prevent flowto and over the right band edge of the mold board. But

' tions of the former are in their entirety forward of the blades "-49. While this arrangement is not necessary, 1. e., while a gap between the blades, respectively, need not exist at all, the disclosed arrangement, providing for much deeper pockets or wider barriers than are formed by the blades "-49 alone, is preferable. Snow in general has a cohesive quality, increased by its being compacted as one result of the force exerted against it by a moving dislodging surface, and I have found in actual operation of an embodiment snow to the right of the V-plow and interrupt j and prevent the flow of snow during traverse of the entire intersection. Because of this it is dewhich would merely offer support for the blade 61, the blade 66 is preferred to a mere brace, for the blade 66, in addition to bracing the blade 61 from the top to the bottom of its front edge and by reason of its operative connection with the auxiliary blade 58 makes swinging of the blade 61 on the pivot rod possible, also serves to catch and downwardly deflect any snow that under certain conditions might rise up forwardly of the mold board between'the blade extensions 10 and l I.

' As a further point, the phenomenon of the natural cohesiveness of snow in general is not confined in the use of an embodiment of the present of the present-invention during the past winter that up to a certain limit of spacing between the blades 41-49 on the one hand and the blades 56-58 on the-other hand the snow which may be engaged by and flow along the latter blades so as to be located along the" general area of the gaps [09 does not escape therethrough but is retained by the spaced blades substantially as if no gaps I09 were present.

But the functioning of the blades 56-5! is not confined to deepening the pockets or widening the barriers which the'blades "-49 form or to moving towards the blades "-49 snow located ahead of the mold board 10. It has been pointed out above that when the forwardly concave mold board 10 is progressing in engagement with the snow, some of the snow may rise up to its top and be thrown forwardly and to the right (Fig. 2) The considerable distance which the blades 58-58 extend ahead of the mold board ll therefore gives these blades another function, namely, that of catching and downwardly deflecting thrown snow in their vicinity so that such portions of this snow as would otherwise pass to the right of the trailing edge of the progressing mold board I! are prevented from so doing.

A further point about the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is the right hand plow blade 56. The particular blade I58 illustrated does not function for the purpose of dislodging snow as does the blade 61 when the apparatus is in use, so that the blade 81 is the more important of the two, for in addition to its functions as stated above it cooperates with the left hand or leading portion of the mold board in to balance I the load on the apparatus as a whole during its progress so that there is no danger of the truck ii being unable to hold the road, and prevents the-blades 41-49 and 58-58 from receiving the force of all the snow flowing along the mold board as would be the case were the blade 51 not present. The blade 68, however, performs bracing and swing-permitting functions for the blade 61, and while a mere brace might be substituted against it or even dig into it.

invention to preventing the escape of snow through the gaps I09 between the blades "-49 and 56-58. respectfully, but .is taken advantage of in another manner. As is well known, snow becomes somewhat compacted by engagement with any progressing mold board or dislodging surface and builds up thereagainst while moving therealong, and the effect of this is the formation of a cohesive mass along the mold board extending down to the roadbed itself, so that while under these conditions little if any snow flows beneath and to the right of the plow blade 61 when the mold board it! is in motion, what flow there may be is stopped by the blades 41-", 56-58, and 65 and the snow caught thereby.

Under ideal conditions, such as plowingon-a straight, smooth, and flat concrete 'roadbed having no obstructions on its surface, it will be apparent that the auxiliary blades and also the V- plow might extend downwardly nearer to the roadbed than as herein illustrated. But because the vast majority of roadbeds do not present such upon the occurrence of forward tipping of the mold board about the axis providedby the pivot bolts 2! and 29, as when the scraper plate ii strikes an obstruction, the bottom portions of the blades and the bottom of the front edge of the V-plow may strike the roadbed and scrape The elevation of the bottom edges of the blades and'the V-plow minimizes the chances of such an occurrence, but to prevent it. the present invention contemplates the provision of means for maintaining the blades 56-58 and the v-plow spaced a substantially constant distance from the roadbed even though the mold board be forwardly tipped by an obstruction engaging the scraper plate ll.

To this end the arm Oil of the auxiliary blade 58 is provided with an upstanding bar III) as indicated in full lines in Figs. 1-4 and as indicated partially in construction lines in Figs. 6-7. The lower portion of the bar III! is bolted angularly flatwise against the outer face of the arm 60 of the blade 58, and thereabove is preferably given a degree twist so that the upper end of the arm slants rearwardly flatwise for the reception of an eyebolt Hi. This eyebolt receives one end of a chain 1 I! which extends rearwardly and downwardly while clearing the arm 60 so that the other end of the chain may be secured by a hook H3 onto the pin 34 carried by the ears 33 of the housing of the right hand caster construction 32, as is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. By reason of this arrangement the chain H2 is substantially taut when the blades 56-58 and the V-plow 65 are in their forward 01'' Figs. 3 and 6 position. and as a consequence the chain exerts a rearward pull. as it were; on the blade 58 when the mold board III is forwardly tipped. This rearward pull will, of course, be distributed to the blades 56 and 51 and to the V-plow 65, and the result of the pull will be the swinging of the blades and the V-plow about the axis of the pivot rods SI and i upwardly relatively to the front of the mold board ill. It is to be noted, however, that although this action amounts to a swinging away from the mold board so far as the mold board per se is concerned, the axis formed by the pivot rods SI and I5 is all the while an axis that is floating downwardly. Therefore the blades 56-48 and the Y-plow 65, although swinging away from the front of the mold board, yet remain spaced from the roadbed substantially the same amount as when the mold board is not tipped, i'or with reference to the roadbed, the blades 5858 and the V-plow 85 rise up when they swing substantially the same amount that the axis formed by the rods 5| and i5 floats down, and the relationship maintenance with which the action of the chain H2 is concerned is not that between the blades 58,58 and the V-plow on the one hand and the mold board III on the other, but that between the blades and the V-plow on the. one hand and the roadbed on the other.

There are also several further points to be noted with respect to the relationship between the mold board I ii and the V-plow 65 when the latter is in its operative or forward position. It has been stated above that the v plow preferably has such a forward extent that when the mold board is disposed at a convenient or efllcient plowing angle the front edge of the V-plow leads the leading edge of the mold board. But in a broad aspect the cooperative relationship between the V-plow and the mold board gives rise to two considerations: (1). that for a V-plow, or a blade corresponding functionally to the blade 61, having a given forward extent, the mold board H) can be swung to such angles that its leading edge either leads or trails the front edge of the V-plow or blade, and (2) that for any given plowing angle for the mold board, a V-plow, or a blade corresponding functionally to the blade 61, can be provided such that its front edge leads the leading edge of the mold board. On this last consideration it is therefore obvious that the particular plowing angle for the mold board and the particular forward extent of the V-plow are shown herein as merely illustrative. A shorter V-piow or blade could be substituted if the mold board "I were to be normally disposed at a lesser plowing angle than that shown, and likewise a longer V-plow or blade could be substituted if the mold board were to be normally disposed at a greater plowing angle than that shown, this last being a matter which will be particularly appreciated when it is realized that the present invention-may be embodied in the so-called dne way type of plow, the disiodging blade of which is not angularly reversible as is the'mold board It but is pivoted adiacent one end and is onerated while set at an angle that not infrequently is around 45 degrees. It also follows from the second above consideration that the V-plow, or a blade corresponding functionally to the blade 81.

board on a line parallel to the plowing path. In such case the V-plow or blade could be lowered sufliciently ahead of the intersection in point of time as to cause all the snow between its dislodging surface and the mold board to flow over the trailing edge of the mold board before the intersection would be reached, thereby rendering the barrier and pocket forming blades 4T-49 and 56-48 unnecessary and providing for positive left hand plowing, at the driver's will, along the entire width of the plowing path, for the extent of the intersection or as desired.

So far as the first above consideration is concerned, it is of course desirable that when the mold board [0 is provided with a V-plow or blade having a given forward extent, the driver of the truck should not dispose the mold board at'such an angle for continuous plowing that the front edge of the V-plow or blade does not lead the leading edge of the mold board, and any chance of this occurring may be offset by the driver understanding the function of the V-plow or blade and by providing the mold board with a V-plow or blade having a forward extent consistent with the angle or angles at which it is contemplated and intended that the driver dispose the mold board But in this connection attention is called particularly to the fact that should the driver not dispose the mold board angulariy as he ought to for continuous plowing, the result is no more than a merely reduced efficiency for the apparatus as herein disclosed, and this reduced efiiciency will occur, if it occurs at all, only under conditions so extreme that when the pocket formed by the blade -61 and the mold board is full, more snow spills to the right over the leading edge of the blade 6! than the-pockets formed by t mold board and the blades "-48 and 56-58 can accommodate and retain. But it will also be seen that even this reduction in efllciency can be prevented when the above extreme conditions are met, by stopping the apparatus and diminishing the plowing angle of the mold board so that its leading edge trails the leading edge of the V-plow or blade whatever its forward extent may be, after which plowing can be resumed with a positive dislodgment of snow to the left or over the leading edge of the mold board as set forth above.

It has been pointed out above that for general operation, the driver preferably reciprocates the pump handle 95 slowly after traversing an intersection so that the released snow is distributed over a relatively great distance along the roadbed. Such a mode of operation is entirely sati factory where intersections are relatively f apart, but particularly in urban communitiesiinr tersections frequently are not far apart, for in addition to the presence of successive cross streets, there are generally driveways, alleys, and cross walks along a road bed between any two cross streets, and in the case of driveways, for example, these may be quite near together. Moreover, these last named types of intersections, in addition to being more numerous than cross streets proper, are also narrower than cross streets. As a result of this situation, it will be clear that if the V-plow and the blades "-49 and -58 are to be placed in their forward or operative position each time one of these intcr sections is approached, the elevation and retraction of the V-plow and the blades between such intersections must be rapid. To illustrate this point, attention is called to the fact that although a truck speed when stated in terms of miles per hour, such as ten, for example, seems slow, this same speed is actually as great as approximately 14.67 feet per second, and this puts a much different light on matters for there may be situations in which, along a single urban block, there are two or more driveways which, in terms of time, are only a few seconds apart and have a width-time of less than one second each. In these circumstances the blades 4I49 and the V-plow 65 together with the blades 56-58 may, of course, be maintained in their forward or operative position during the traverse of an entire group of alleys, cross walks, or driveways and the curb portions therebetween, but successful operation in this manher is possible only'when the plowing conditions are not too severe or when the snow carrying needs are not too great. If, however, the reverse of either of such plowing situations is the case, it is better to elevate and retract the V-plow and the blades between at least some of the successive intersections, thereby releasing the pocketed snow, after which the plow and the blades quickly assume their forward or operative position by gravity, so that there is no ridge or windrow formation along, the next alley, cross walk, or driveway. It will be obvious that in order to achieve this result the deactuation of the V-plow and the blades must be rapid in the first place, but the form of apparatus disclosed above for elevating and retracting the V-plow and the blades is not well adapted for such rapidity since it operates relatively slowly because of the arrangement and nature of the ram structure 90 and the lever 96. a

In order, therefore, to provide for greater speed in deactuating the V-plow and the blades, there may be used a modified ram and lever arrange ment such as is shown for illustrative purposes in Fig. 10. To this end Fig. 10) the ram structure 90 is not. mounted vertically as shown best in Figs.- 3 and 5, but instead is tipped to the right in its general Figs. 3 and location at an angle of about thirty degrees, for example, and the support bracket 91, the side plates 98, the bar 99, and the spring lfll have a corresponding tipped position so that the ram structure is maintained in its Fig. position by these elements in substantially the same manner as they function for the vertical position shown in Figs. 3-'

and 5. The top of the piston 89 is provided with spaced ears i I 4 (only one shown) between which is journaled on a pin H5 a 'roiler N6, the axis of rotation of which extends normal to and intersectingly of the longitudinal axis of the piston 88. The roller Iii bears against a cam sur-,

face ill formed on the under side of a lever II! which is pivoted on a pin H9 at a point considerably nearer to its left hand or roller-engaging arm than to its right hand arm. The pin H9 is iournaled in a bracket I20 carried by the mold board In and having functional identity with the bracket 84. The longer or right hand arm of the lever H8 is provided adjacent its bottom with a roller III mounted on a pin I22, and as shown in Fig. 10, the roller lZi bears on the outstanding arm of the bracket 81 as does the right hand arm of the lever 85 in Figs. 3 and 5.

The ram and lever arrangement shown in Fig.

10, by reason of greater mechanical advantage tively.

that the rolling contact of the rollers iii and lZi with the cam surface ill and the arm of the bracket '1, respectively, generates less friction than does the mere rubbing contact of the opposite ends of the lever Ill with the head of the piston 89 and the arm of the bracket 81, respec- In another aspect the Fig. 10 arrangement provides greater mechanical advantage in that while it is true that in Figs. 3 and 5 as well as in Fig. 10 the top of the piston 89 becomes laterally nearer to the pivot 85 or N5 the farther the piston rises from its fluid box, thereby progressively decreasing the effective length of the short or left hand arm of the levers 86 or 8 while simultaneously increasing progressively the speed of swing of the long or right hand arm of the levers, the angular position of the piston 88 in Fig. 10 in contrast to the vertical position of the piston in Figs. 3 and 5 provides that the roller 8 moves nearer to the pivot if! as the piston 88 rises than does the head of the piston 89 in Figs. 3 and 5 with respect to the pivot 85, and as a result gives a faster swing to the long or right hand arm of the lever H8. But there is also a third aspect to the greater mechanical advantage given by the Fig. 10 arrangement. It will be noted that in the Figs. 3 and 5 arrangement the rounded bottom 88 of the lever 86 engages the head of the piston 89 centrally or axially only when the piston is at its lowermost point, that is, only when the V-plow 65 and the blades 41-" and 58-58 are in their forward or operative position. As a consequence, it will be seen that as the piston 89 rises to effect elevation and retraction of the V-plow and the blades, the rounded lever bottom l8,neces sarily slid'es leftward (Fis- 5) along the piston head,nthat is, slides away from the center thereof and away from the axis of the piston, and it will .be realized that this result will occur even if "efrounded lever bottom 88 is a roller. As a co i uence, the power application point of the head of the piston 88 on the lever bottom 88 becomes increasingly removed from the axis of movement of the piston the farther that the piston arises from its fluid box, and therefore the axis of power application by the piston on the lever bottom 88 becomes more and more anguand 5. In one aspect this appears from the fact larly disposed to the axis of movement of the piston, with resulting loss in emciency. The Fig. 10 arrangement completely obviates this result. The contour of the cam surface H1 is of such nature that at all times during the rising of the piston 89 the contact line of the roller lit with the cam surface H1 is intersected by the axis of movement of the piston, so that there is never a disparity between the axis along which the piston itself moves and the axis along which the piston applies power to the short or left hand arm of the lever III. The Fig. 10 ram and lever arrangement therefore provides a speedier elevation and retraction oi the V-plow i5 and the blades "-49 and 5H! than does the ram and lever arrangement of Figs. 3 and 5.

While the present invention has been herein illustrated as embodied in a construction to be used primarily for right hand normal plowing. this has been done mer'eiv for disclosure purposes, as it will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in a construction to be used primarily for left hand normal plowing by giving to the proper elements herein shown as associated with the mold board I! complementaryreverse positions with respect thereto. So far as the V-plow is concerned, it is obviously within the scope of the present invention that its 1 vention, but is merely a matter of preference. As

pointed out above, this desirable arrangement is provided because it effects left hand plowing under what may be called extreme plowing conditions, and this arrangement is preferred because it therefore accommodates all plowing conditions. I also do not intend that embodiments of the present invention shall be limited to the shape, number, location,'or forward extent of the auxiliary blades 41-49 or 55-58 herein shown, or to the particular actuating and deactuating mechanism shown therefor, and in this connection attention is called to the fact that the blade 58 may well be bent inwardly to the left (Fig. 2) from its arm 60, for example, the blade 51 being correspondingly bent or even removed, thereby permitting the apparatus to move with the trail ing edge of the mold board located nearer to the curbing, gutter, or side of the roadbed On the last out than would otherwise be the case. I also wish to point out that while the ram structure 90 has been herein illustrated as being operated from the hand pump 94, it is clearly within the scope of the present invention that a mechanically operated pump be used instead. Anyone familiar with the well known Vickers pump, for example, which is operated from the motor of a truck and is now in common and widespread use on trucks as part of the apparatus for elevating and lowering the mold boards of attached snow plow constructions, will at once appreciate that the tubing 92 can easily be connected to such a pump. Such an arrangement is particularly desirable where alleys, cross walks, and driveways very frequently occur between successive cross streets, for the speed of elevation of the piston 88, with consequent elevation and retraction of the V-plow 65 and the blades l14il and 56-58, is far greater with a mechanically operated pump than with a pump designed for manual operation, as by the reciprocable hand lever 95. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to use in connection with the particular plow apparatus herein shown, nor to the conjoint use of all the features shown and described, nor to the particulars and details of any parts of the constructions herein shown and described. They and the steps of the method disclosed for dislodging surface materials in general and snow in particular may be modified within the skill of the artisan without departing the blade in engagement with the material, and

a'second dislodgingblade movable into and out of a position in which one face thereof engages material lying ahead of the first dislodging blade and cooperates with a portion of said blade extending from its leading edge to form rear-- wardly converging surfaces which gather said material and push it in a dlrectiontdisposed generally forward and away from the trailing edge of the first dlslodging blade, and at least one auxiliary blade movable into and outlof position to prevent the flow of material along the remaining portion'of the first dislodging blade 'toand over its trailing edge, of means operatively connecting together said second dislodging blade and said auxiliary blade for movement simultaneously.

2. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along which dislodged material flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the blade in engagement with the material, and a second dislodging blade mounted for operative association with the first dislodglng blade in such manner that an edge of the second blade leads the leading edge of the first blade, thereby to,

cause material lying ahead of the first blade. and which would otherwise flow'the'realong during its continued progress to and over the trailing edge of the first blade, to flow to and over the leading edge of the first blade, of means including fluid pressure mechanism for effecting movement of the second blade into and. out of operative association withthe first blade.

3. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade diagonally of the line of progress, of a second dislodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation mounted for swinging movement about. a single into and out of such position forward of the first dislodging blade that an outside face of the second dislodging blade forms with a portion of the first dislodging blade cooperating dislodging surfaces of rearwardly converging V-formation.

4. In a material dislodger. the combination with a dlslodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along which material. flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the blade in engagement with the material, and a second dislodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation supported from the first blade, of at least one auxiliary blade, said second dislodglng blade and said auxiliary blade being movable into and out of a position forward of the first dislodging blade to prevent the aforesaid flow of material therealong.

5. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along -which dislodged material flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the blade in engagement with the material, a second dlslodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation supported from the first blade and movable into and out of a position in which an outside face thereof cooperates with a portion of the first blade extending from its leading edge to form rearwardly converging sufaces which gather material and push it during the progress of the blade in engagement with the material. and at least one auxiliary blade movable into and out of position to prevent the flow of material along the remaining portion of the first dislodging blade to and over its trailing edge, of means controlled from a location behind the first dislodging blade for effecting movement of the second dislodging blade and the auxiliary blade.

6. A material dislodger having, in combination, a dislodging blade located diagonally of the line of progress and along which material flows duringthe progress of the blade in engagement with the material, a second dislodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation supported from the first dislodging blade, and at least one pair of auxiliary blades, said second dislodging blade and said auxiliary blades being movable into and out ofla position forward of the first dislodging blade to prevent the aforesaid fiow of material therealong to and over its trailing edge, and one of said auxiliary blades, when both are forward of the first dislodging blade, having its front portion spaced father from the first dislodging blade than is the front portion of the other of said auxiliary blades.

7. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the line of progress, and movable means adapted to form a plurality of material retaining pockets along the blade for preventing the delivery of flowing material off the trailing edge of the blade, one of said pockets being relatively large with respect to the size of any other pocket and being disposed ahead thereof with respect to the path of material flow, of means including fluid pressure mechanism for effecting movement of the pocket forming means into and out of pocket forming position while the dislodging blade is moving in encasement with the material. I

8. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along which the dislodged material flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the blade in engagement with the material, and at least two auxiliary blades mounted to move toward and away from each other into and out of, respectively, a position forwardly disposed with respect to the dislodging blade to interrupt the flow of material therealong and prevent delivery oil the trailing edge, the front portion of one of said auxiliary blades being spaced farther from said surface than is the front portion of another of said auxiliary blades when said auxiliary blades are in said forward position, of means operatively connecting together said auxiliary blades for movement simultaneously.

9. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade, and an auxiliary blade mounted to move into and out of a position in which its front portion is forward of the front face of the dislodging blade, of a second auxiliary blade spaced from the first dislodging blade and mounted for movement into and out of a position in which its front portion is forward of the front portion of the first auxiliary blade so that the second auxiliary blade forms an operative extension of the first auxiliary blade when the front portion of the latter is forward of said front face.

10. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having' at least one slot therethrough, and an auxiliary blade mounted to move through the slot into and out of a position in which its front portion is forward of the front face of the dislodging blade, of a secand out of a position in which its front portion is forward of the front portion of the first auxiliary blade so that the second auxiliary blade forms an operative extension of the first auxiliary blade when the front portion of the latter is forward of said front face.

11. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a plurality of slots therethrough, a set of auxiliary blades mounted to move through the slots, respectively, into and out of a position in which their front portions are forward of the front face of the dislodging blade, and a second set of auxiliary blades mounted for movement into and out of a position in which their front portions are forward of the front portions of the first auxiliary blades, respectively, when the latter are forward of said front face, of means operatively connecting together said blade sets for movement simultaneously.

12. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade tippable about a horizontal axis, a second dislodging blade movable into and out of a position in which it is forward of the front face of the first dislodging blade and spaced from the roadbed when the first dislodging blade is not tipped toward the roadbed, and at least one auxiliary blade movable into and out of a position in which it is forward of the first dislodging blade and also spaced from said roadbed when the first dislodging blade is not tipped toward the roadbed, of means for maintaining the second dislodging blade and the auxiliary blade substantially in their spaced relationship with respect to the roadbed upon a timin toward the roadbed of the first dislodging blade during its progress.

13. In a material'dislodger. the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the line of progress, of a second dislodging blade of forwardly convering V-format-ion supported from the first dislodging blade and movable into and out of such position forward of the first dislodging blade that an outside face of the second dislodging blade forms with a portion of the first dislodging blade cooperating dislodging surfaces of rearwardly converging V-formation.

14. In a material dislodger. the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the line of progress, of a second dislodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation mounted for movement from a position in which it is located generally above the first dislodging blade to and from a lower position in which it is located forward of the first dislodging blade.

15. In a material dislodger. the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the line of progress, and movable means adapted to form a plurality of ma retaining pockets along the blade for preven g the fiow of material off the trailing edge of the blade, said pocket forming means including blades movable from a position in which they are located generally above the dislodging blade to and from a position in which they are forward of the dislodging blade, of means for effecting movement of the pocket forming means into and out of pocket forming position while the dislodging blade is moving in engagement with the material.

16. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along which dislodged material flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the and auxiliary blade mounted for movement into blade in engagement with the material, of a plurality of sets of auxiliary blades mounted to move into and out of a position forwardly disposed with respect to the dislodging surface to interrupt the .flow of material therealong and prevent delivery 7 path of movement, said blade having at least one ward of the front face of the dislodging blade and spaced from the roadbed when said dislodging blade is not tipped toward the roadbed, of means for maintaining said auxiliary blade substantially in said spaced relationship with respect to the roadbed upon a tipping toward the roadbed of the dislodglng blade during its progress.

18. In a material dislodger having a dislodging blade and an auxiliary blade mounted for movement with respect to the dislodging blade:

mechanism for moving the auxiliary blade in-- cluding a lever operativeiy connected to the auxiliary blade and a ram construction having a piston for actuating the lever, the lever and the piston having cooperating and contacting relatively movable surfaces such that at all times during the movement of the piston the axis of movement thereof intersects the locus of contact oi" said surfaces."

19 In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the path of movement, of means movable with respect to the blade while the blade is engaged with the material to form a plurality of material retaining pockets along the blade 'for preventing the flow of material therealong.

20. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally oi the slot therethrough, of an auxiliary blade mounted to move edgewise through the slot.

21. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodglng blade located diagonally of the path of movement, said blade having a plurality of slots therethrough, of a plurality of auxiliary blades mounted to move through the slots. respectively, and means for connecting the auxiliary blades to move simultaneously.

22. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the path of movement, said blade having a plurality of slots therethroughfof a plurality of auxiliary blades pivotaily supported from the first blade to move through the slots, respectively.

23. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade located diagonally of the path of movement, and movable means adapted to form a plurality of material retaining pockets along the blade for preventing the flow of material therealong, of means controlled from a location behind the dislodging blade for effecting movement of the pocket forming means into and out of pocket forming position while the blade is engaged with the material.

24. In a material dislodger, the combination with a dislodging blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface therebetween along which material flows to and over the trailing edge by reason of the progress of the blade in engagement with the material, and a second dislodging blade of forwardly converging V-formation associated with the first blade, of at least one auxiliary blade, said second dislodging blade and said auxiliary blade being operatively connected together for movement simultaneously into and out of a position forward of the first dislodging blade to prevent the aforesaid flow of material therealong.

' THOMAS J. BALL 

